Sports shoe with cleats

ABSTRACT

According to the invention, a cleat for sport shoes has a locking pin for automatically locking the pin in a receptacle of the sole of the shoe through a spring, and a release mechanism for moving the spring to a releasing position upon rotation of the cleat for releasing the cleat.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention comprises a sport shoe with a sole that holds a removablecleat attached to the sole, wherein the cleat has a locking section thatreaches behind a receptacle in the sole.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A sport shoe of this type is known, for example from EP 0 815 759. Thesport shoe has a sole with cleats removably attached to it, wherein thecleats are held at the sole through a shape locked connection and asecuring device. This shape-locked connection is accomplished by meansof a multi-cornered socket on the cleat and a complementary receptaclein the sole, for example, whereas the securing device is a screw on thecleat and a threaded opening in the sole. The shape-locked connectionand the securing device are arranged perpendicular to the surface of thesole. Handling this type of cleat is relatively cumbersome, since firstthe connection between the screw and the screw opening has to be madewhen replacing a cleat, whereupon the hexagonal shape has to be placedin the right position with its complementary receptacle. The user isthus forced to hold the cleat in position with one hand while tighteningthe screw with the other hand.

Another type of connection of a round cleat to the sole of a sport shoeis described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,923. The cleat is pressed into areceptacle in the sole with the help of a tool and is then rotated untillocking tabs that protrude from the cleat reach behind an undercut inthe receptacle. The disadvantage to this embodiment is that wheninserting a cleat, two procedures have to be done: one involves theinsertion of the cleat into the receptacle and the other involvesrotating it into the correct locked position. If cleats have to bereplaced quickly, which frequently occurs in practice, a device of thistype is cumbersome.

Another embodiment has been made known through DE 198 50 449 in whichpreferably elongated cleats are first inserted into a receptacle in thesole and then are locked into a position that reaches behind thereceptacle by means of a screwed connection and a locking hook. In thiscase, as well, manipulation is not very easy, similar to the prior artmentioned above.

It is easier to insert a cleat into the sole of a sport shoe asdescribed in the embodiment according to DE 298 07 082 U1 in that thecleat only has to be pressed into the receptacle. Nevertheless, thecleat is secured using an expanding core that has to be fixed to anopening of the cleat in order to lock the cleat in its position.Moreover, removing the cleat is very cumbersome since first theexpanding core has to be removed from its locked position in order tothen be able to remove the cleat from the receptacle. Particularly fordirty soles, this can be very difficult to do and can take a lot oftime.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of this invention is to create a sport shoe with cleatswherein it is easy not only to attach, but also to remove a cleat fromthe sole even if it is dirty, and wherein above all this can be donequickly, said sport shoe characterized by its use of few parts, itscompactness and its robustness.

This object is met through the characterizing features of a removablecleat that attaches to the sole of a sport shoe, wherein the cleat has alocking section that reaches behind a receptacle in the sole and thelocking section consists of a locking pin that protrudes in thedirection of the longitudinal axis of the cleat.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in thesubordinate claims.

The invention is based on the general idea that it should be easy tobring a cleat to its locked position by hand by pressing it in thedirection of the opening of the receptacle in the sole. In addition, byappropriately designing the individual inclines on the locking part,there is no need to be sure of the correct position when pressing thecleats in, since the locking part finds this position itself via theinclines. Likewise, removing the cleat from the sole is done using asuitable tool, such as is commonly used for round cleats, to turn thecleat. By turning or rotating the cleat by a maximum of one half turn,because of the shape of the locking pin, the cleat then releases itselffrom the locked position and becomes able to be removed.

The object of the invention is met through a process to quickly installa removable cleat wherein the installation of the cleat is done bysimply pressing it by hand into the receptacle of the sole of the sportsshoe until the cleat reaches its locked position in which a locking pinof the cleat has become locked by a spring and in which it cannot bemoved longitudinally or laterally, whereas the removal is accomplishedwith the help of a tool by rotating the cleat by one-half of a turn, thecleat unlocking by itself through spreading surfaces and releasing fromthe receptacle of the sole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Below, the invention is explained in more detail with the help of thedrawing. Shown are:

FIG. 1 a partial view of a sole of a sport shoe with an installed cleat(on the right) and a receptacle without a cleat (on the left);

FIG. 2 is a side view along line II-II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view of the locking frame according to line III-III in FIG.2;

FIG. 4 is a view of a cleat and locking frame, without the sole (at anenlarged scale);

FIG. 5 is a side view of the cleat of FIG. 4 and a sectional view of thelocking frame according to line V-V in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view of the cleat according to FIG. 5 in the locked position(without the sole), and

FIG. 7 is a view of the cleat according to FIG. 6, but just prior to itsbeing unlocked from the locking frame.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1, part of a sole 1 of a sport shoe that is not shown in moredetail, such as is used in lawn sports, has receptacles 2 on its bottomsurface at numerous points to hold cleats 3. In the example shown, sucha cleat 3 is attached to the right side, whereas there has not yet beenone attached to the left side.

As is very easy to see, especially from FIGS. 2 and 3, this receptacle 2is preferably designed as a round hole 4 and is provided in a lockingframe 5 that is injected or glued into the sole 1 as a separate part. Ofcourse, other types of connections between the sole 1 and the lockingframe 5 are possible, or the locking frame could also be an integralpart of the sole.

A locking spring 7 is located inside the locking frame 5 in a springchannel 6. In one embodiment, the spring channel is U-shaped and holds aU-shaped torsion spring 7′ with a round cross section extending into theround receptacle 2. Both sides 8, 9 of the torsion spring 7′ arepre-tensioned in the direction of the receptacle 2 and are supported bythe walls 6′ and 6″ of the spring channel 6.

From FIGS. 4-7 it can be seen that the cleat 3 has a central locking pin10 that projects outward in the direction of its longitudinal axis. Thislocking pin 10 can preferably be made of metal, as can the cleat 3, sothat the locking pin is integral with the core of the cleat. Of course,there are other conceivable materials as well for either the locking pinor the cleat, or the cleat can be made of one material, such as plastic,while the locking pin can be made of another material, such as metal.

The locking pin 10 has a cross section that corresponds to the crosssection of the receptacle 2 or the round hole 4 so that it fits into thereceptacle 2. What is essential to the invention is that the locking pin10 has surfaces as described in more detail below.

To be able to press the cleat by hand easily into the receptacle 2 inthe direction of arrow “A” (see FIG. 5), the locking pin 10 hasdiametrically opposed insertion inclines 11, 11′ that have an angle thatis preferably 35°-45° with respect to the longitudinal axis. Theseinsertion inclines 11, 11′, push the sides 8, 9 of the spring of thelocking spring 7 away from one another when the cleat is pressed inuntil the locking pin 10 has reached its final locked position accordingto FIG. 6.

The locked position is secured through locking surfaces 12, 12′ on thelocking pin 10 that are likewise diametrically opposed against which thesides 8, 9 of the locking spring 7 are supported, preventing the cleat 3from moving in its longitudinal and/or lateral axis. Thus, to onetrained in the art, it is clear that distance “a” according to FIG. 6between the support surface 3′ of the cleat 3 and locking surfaces 12,12′ must be such that in the locked state there is no play between thesupport surface 3′ and the sole 1 and such that the cleat 3 sitsperfectly flat against the sole 1 as a result. Also, it is importantthat the locking surfaces 12, 12′ have a length of at least half of thediameter of a side 8, 9 of the spring and that they have an angle of85°-95° with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cleat 3, preferably90°.

In order to remove the cleat 3 from the sole 1 from its locked position,the cleat 3 is rotated one half of a turn with the aid of a tool 13,which is schematically illustrated in FIG. 7. In this case, the sides 8,9 of the locking spring 7 are pushed apart by opposing spreadingsurfaces 14, 14′ on the locking pin 10 so that they move in the oppositedirection away from the channel walls 6′, 6″ and release the locking pin10. In the process, the direction in which the cleat 3 is rotated makesno difference. The cleat 3 can then be removed unhindered from thereceptacle 2 and locking frame 5.

So that the tool 13 can interlock with or engage the cleat 3, the cleathas a plurality of spurs 15 located on the perimeter that mate withcomplementary recesses in the tool, which are not shown in more detail.

It should be noted that this invention is not restricted to theembodiment as illustrated and described, but that alterations apparentto one trained in the art should be included as well.

1-14. (canceled)
 15. A sport shoe for holding at least one removablecleat, said sport shoe comprising: a sole having at least one receptaclefor receiving a cleat; a removable cleat having a longitudinal axis anda locking pin along the longitudinal axis of said cleat; and a lockingspring located in said receptacle; said locking spring engaging saidlocking pin for locking said cleat to said sole in response to theinsertion of said locking pin into said receptacle.
 16. A sport shoeaccording to claim 15, wherein said locking pin has a cross section, andsaid receptacle comprises a round hole with the same cross section asthe cross section of said locking pin.
 17. A sport shoe according toclaim 15, wherein said sole further comprises a locking frame definingsaid receptacle and for holding said locking spring.
 18. A sport shoeaccording to claim 15, wherein said locking frame comprises a springchannel for holding said locking spring.
 19. A sport shoe according toclaim 15, wherein said locking spring comprises a torsion spring havingspring sides extending into said receptacle for releasably locking saidlocking pin in said receptacle.
 20. A sport shoe according to claim 19,wherein said sole further comprises a spring channel extending from andaround said receptacle and having support walls in said spring channel,and said spring sides being pre-tensioned in the direction of saidreceptacle and being supported off said support walls, said spring sideshaving a locking condition for engaging said locking pin to releasablylock said pin in a locked condition in said receptacle.
 21. A sport shoeaccording to claim 19, wherein said locking pin comprises insertioninclines for pushing apart said spring sides of said locking spring inresponse to said cleat being pushed into said receptacle.
 22. A sportshoe according to claim 21, wherein said insertion inclines arediametrically opposed and have an angle between 35° and 45° with respectto the longitudinal axis of said cleat.
 23. A sport shoe according toclaim 19, wherein said locking pin comprises locking surfaces, andwherein said spring sides of said locking spring have a locked state forengaging said locking surfaces for preventing movement of said cleat inthe longitudinal or lateral direction.
 24. A sport shoe according toclaim 19, wherein said locking pin comprises locking surfaces, andwherein said spring sides of said locking spring have a locked state forengaging said locking surfaces for preventing movement of said cleat inthe longitudinal and lateral direction.
 25. A sport shoe according toclaim 23, wherein said locking surfaces are diametrically opposed andhave an angle of between 85° and 95° with respect to the longitudinalaxis of said cleat.
 26. A sport shoe according to claim 25, wherein saidlocking surfaces have an angle of 90° with respect to the longitudinalaxis of said cleat.
 27. A sport shoe according to claim 25, wherein saidlocking surfaces have a length of at least one half the diameter of saidspring sides.
 28. A sport shoe according to claim 20, wherein saidlocking pin comprises spreading surfaces for pushing said spring sidesin opposite directions away from said support walls in response to therotation of said cleat for releasing said locking pin from said lockedcondition in said receptacle.
 29. A sport shoe according to claim 27,wherein said cleat is configured for rotation by means of a tool.
 30. Asport shoe according to claim 29 wherein the tool has recesses, andwherein said cleat has an outer surface, and said cleat comprises spursextending from the outer surface complementary to recesses in the tooland said spurs mate with the recesses in said tool.
 31. A process forinstalling and removing a removable cleat in a shoe, the shoe having areceptacle, a locking spring extending from and around the receptaclefor releasably locking the cleat in the receptacle, and the cleat havinga locking pin having spreading surfaces configured to be locked by thelocking spring when the locking pin is in one position relative to thelocking and configured to be released when the locking pin is rotated toa second position by means of a tool for effecting engagement of thespring by the spreading surfaces, said process for installing the cleatcomprising: pressing the cleat into the receptacle for moving thelocking pin to the one position by said locking spring to lock thelocking pin in the longitudinal and lateral directions; and said processfor removing the cleat comprising: rotating the cleat to the secondposition with the tool to spread the locking spring with the spreadingsurfaces.